Understanding the Difference Between Preserve and Exclude Data in ServiceNow Cloning

When cloning an instance in ServiceNow, administrators must carefully manage data retention to ensure seamless system functionality. The two main data management options—Preserve Data and Exclude Data—play a critical role in determining what information is retained or removed during the cloning process. Misunderstanding these options can lead to unintended data loss or system misconfigurations. This article clarifies the differences between Preserve Data and Exclude Data, their practical applications, and best practices for configuring clone profiles effectively.

Preserve Data vs. Exclude

Data: Key Differences

Preserve Data: Retaining Essential Information

Preserve Data ensures that specific data remains intact on the target instance before and after the cloning process. This feature is useful when certain configurations, records, or settings should not be overwritten during the cloning process. Key use cases include:

• MID Server Configurations: The MID Server (Managed Integration Device) settings stored in the ecc_agent table should not be overwritten during cloning, as they are critical for integrations between ServiceNow and external systems.

  
  

• SSO and LDAP Configurations: Authentication and directory services settings should remain untouched to prevent login or user provisioning disruptions.

  
  

• Custom Configurations: Specific organizational customizations that should persist across environments, such as workflow approvals or email configurations.

  
  

How It Works:

1. The specified data is stored on the target instance before the cloning begins.

2. After cloning is completed, the preserved data is restored, ensuring that the target instance retains essential records and configurations.

   
   

Exclude Data: Removing Unwanted Information

Exclude Data ensures that particular tables or records are not copied from the source instance to the target instance. This is useful for preventing sensitive, unnecessary, or large-volume data from transferring to non-production environments. Common use cases include:

• Sensitive User Data: Employee records, user credentials, and customer-related information should be excluded for security reasons.

  
  

• Historical Logs: Tables containing logs, audit history, or large sets of transactional data can be excluded to optimize performance in non-production instances.

  
  

• Unnecessary Attachments: Large attachments that are not required for development or testing environments can be excluded to reduce storage consumption.

  
  

How It Works:

1. The specified data is marked for exclusion in the cloning configuration.

2. During the cloning process, this data is omitted, and the target instance does not receive it.

3. The resulting target instance remains functional but lacks the excluded data.

   
   

Practical Example: Applying Preserve and Exclude in Cloning

Consider a scenario where an organization is cloning its production instance to a development instance. The administrator configures the cloning profile as follows:

• Preserve Data:

  • MID Server (ecc_agent table)

  • SSO Configuration (sys_properties related to authentication)

  • Integration Settings (sys_rest_message, sys_soap_message)

    
    

• Exclude Data:

  • Record History (sys_history_set table)

  • Email Logs (sys_email table)

  • Large Attachments (sys_attachment table)

    
    

Expected Outcome:

• The development instance receives a copy of the production instance but retains necessary settings (e.g., MID Server and SSO configurations).

• The instance does not include unwanted data (e.g., historical records and email logs).

• The development environment remains functional, with only relevant configurations in place.

  
  

Best Practices for Configuring Clone Profiles

1. Define Business Requirements: Identify which data must be preserved and which should be excluded based on system dependencies and security policies.

   
   

2. Use a Test Clone First: Before applying settings to a production-to-development clone, perform a test clone to validate the impact of preservation and exclusion rules.

   
   

3. Review Clone Logs: After cloning, check the logs to confirm that the preserved and excluded data behave as expected.

   
   

4. Avoid Over-Preserving Data: While preserving data is beneficial, excessive preservation can lead to inconsistencies between instances. Only retain what is essential.

   
   

5. Secure Sensitive Data: Ensure that personally identifiable information (PII) and confidential records are properly excluded when cloning to non-production environments.

   
   

Conclusion

Understanding the difference between Preserve Data and Exclude Data in ServiceNow cloning is essential for ensuring that target instances remain functional and secure. Preserve Data retains crucial configurations and settings, while Exclude Data prevents unnecessary or sensitive information from being copied. By carefully planning and configuring cloning profiles, ServiceNow administrators can maintain a stable, secure, and efficient cloning process across environments.

For organizations managing complex ServiceNow instances, following best practices in cloning ensures minimal disruptions, better system performance, and improved security compliance. If you're planning a clone, review your instance’s requirements and apply these principles to optimize your cloning strategy.